US strikes Iranian military sites after drone downing; Kuwait reports attacks

The United States said on Monday that it carried out strikes on Iranian radar and drone facilities after Tehran shot down an American military drone over the weekend, while Kuwait reported incoming missile and drone fire in what appeared to be a retaliatory response from Iran.

The latest exchange has further strained the fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tehran, which has repeatedly come under pressure despite ongoing negotiations aimed at ending the conflict.

The US military's Central Command (CENTCOM) said American forces struck targets around Geruk and on Qeshm Island on Saturday and Sunday in response to what it described as aggressive Iranian actions.

According to CENTCOM, Iran had shot down a US MQ-1 drone operating over international waters.

“The measured and deliberate strikes occurred in response to aggressive Iranian actions that included the shootdown of a US MQ-1 drone,” the command said.

It added that US aircraft destroyed Iranian air defence systems, a ground control station and two one-way attack drones that were considered threats to vessels operating in regional waters.

Kuwait reports incoming fire

Hours after the US strikes, Kuwait said its air defence systems intercepted incoming drones and missiles early Monday.

Around the same time, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that it had responded to an American attack, though it did not specify the location targeted.

In a statement carried by the state-run IRNA news agency, the IRGC said US forces had struck a telecommunications tower, prompting a response.

The timing of the announcement suggested Iran may have been referring to the attack reported by Kuwait.

Iranian state television later broadcast footage of a ballistic missile launch. Images released by the broadcaster showed a missile bearing a sticker depicting US President Donald Trump against the backdrop of a closed Strait of Hormuz and the slogan: “Until the last American soldier leaves the region.”

Hormuz crisis deepens

The latest military exchanges come as Iran continues to maintain restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime corridor that once handled roughly one-fifth of global oil and natural gas trade.

Although some vessels have managed to transit the waterway, disruptions continue to affect global energy markets and fertiliser supplies.

Analysts have warned that prolonged disruption could increase the risk of food shortages, as Gulf nations account for about 30 per cent of globally traded chemical fertilisers.

The confrontation follows a series of escalating incidents. Over the weekend, the US reportedly struck the engine room of a Gambia-flagged cargo vessel that Washington alleged was attempting to breach restrictions linked to Iranian ports.

Talks continue despite mistrust

The United States and Iran remain engaged in negotiations over a possible agreement that could extend the ceasefire and potentially reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

President Donald Trump met advisers on Friday but has yet to announce whether Washington will proceed with a broader agreement. Iran has maintained that no final deal has been reached.

The current conflict began on 28 February when the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran. Since then, the stated objectives of the campaign have evolved, though preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon remains a central US goal.

Iran insists its nuclear programme is peaceful but continues to possess significant quantities of highly enriched uranium.

US Vice President J.D. Vance said last week that negotiators were attempting to agree on broad principles governing Iran's nuclear programme, with detailed discussions to follow.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei on Monday accused Washington of repeatedly changing its position during negotiations.

“From the beginning, we knew — and we continue to know — that we are negotiating in an atmosphere of mistrust,” Baghaei told reporters.

Despite the tensions, Trump struck an optimistic tone in a post on Truth Social.

“Iran really wants to make a deal, and it will be a good one for the USA and those that are with us,” he wrote. “Just sit back and relax, it will all work out well in the end — it always does.”